Rotary-hook sewing-machine.



A. H. DE VUE.

ROTARY HOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPLiCATlON FILED sun 3. x914 RENEWED suu- 29.1915.

1 ,269,686. Patented June 18, 1918.

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WITNESSES: INVENTOR BY w, @M fl by A TTORN E Y A. H DE VOE.

ROTARY HOOK SEWING MACHINE.

APPHCATION HLED JUNE 3 39l4- RENEWED JUL! 28.1915

1,269,686. Patontvd J mm 18. 1918.

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WI TNESSES:

fzwl/ MPM INVENTOR A TTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. DE VOE, OF WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING .COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ROTARY-HOOK SEWING-MACHINE.

Application filed June 3, 1914, Serial No. 842,594. Renewed July 28, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. Dr: Von, a citizen of the United States, residin at Vestfield, in the county of Union and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary-Hook Sewing-hilachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of loop-takers comprising a circularly moving loop-seizing member provided with a beak within the circular path of movement of which a thread-case containing a mass of lower thread is suspended; and it has for its primary object to provide advantageous means for sustaining the thread-case wholly independently of the loop-seizing member so as to obviate friction and prevent the jamming of the thread between. such moving parts while obviating the application thereto of lubricating means likely to soil the stitching threads in the loopcasting operation. It has for a further object the reduction of weight of the moving parts by restricting the function of the looptaking member to its normal loop-seizlng and casting operation without affording the usual support for the threadcase and its contained mass of lower thread. It has for another of its objects to provide a normally stationary support for the thread-case between which and the latter the needle thread loop may be readily drawn up to the work without excessive strain thereon.

In the preferred form of the improvement, the loop-seizing member comprises a disk havingl a segmental projection extending throughout only a small portion of the circumference and provided with a looptaking beak moving in a circular path within which is disposed the floating thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips and sustained by a hanger having a member entering and loosely embraced by said channel and affording a support upon which said lips rest. The hanger is provided at one side of its supporting tongue with a stop-finger and a yielding latch-arm whose operative portions a re spaced apart to embrace one side of the thread-case. the yielding member being rctractable for l"l '!(l\'2ll of the thread-case from and endwise of the supporting tongue.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 1S, 1918.

Serial No. 42,456.

The hanger is preferably mounted upon a support adapted to swing outwardly to withdraw the thread-case from the loopseizing member for access to the contained bobbin and for purposes of threading, looking means being provided to maintain the support in operative position.

The loop-seizing member is preferably mounted upon a rotary loop-taker shaft journaled in a laterally adjustable frame which is mounted concentrically with the actuating shaft to which the loop-taker shaft is operatively connected by means of a pair of bevel-gears. By this means the looptaker may be laterally adjusted relativel to a single needle, or a plurality of loop-ta ers may be similarly adjusted to cooperate with a corresponding number of needles set at different gages apart.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, representing a. well-known form of feed-up-thearm twin-needle sewing machine embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional end View, upon a larger scale of the work-supporting arm with the stitch-forming devices. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the bearing bracket for the loop-taker shaft supporting frames. Fig. i is a plan, and Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations, taken from opposite sides, of the loop-taker and its supporting bracket and the thread-case with its sustaining means, and Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 8 is a plan and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the threadcase with its supporting hanger, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the hanger and its support taken from the under side. Fig. 11 is a transverse section of the hanger and the thread-case with the contained bobbin.

As shown in the drawings, the frame of the machine is constructed with the base 1 from which laterally extends the tubular work-supporting arm 2, and from which rises the hollow standard 3 with the overhanging tubular arm 4 terminating in the head 5. The arm 4hasjournaled therein the main-shaft 6 provided at its rearward end with the belt-pulley 7 and balance-wheel 8 and connected by usual or suitable means at its opposite end with the reciprocating needle-bar 9 carrying the needles 10. The main-shaft has secured thereon the bevelwheel 11 meshing with a similar wheel 12 upon the vertical shaft 13 suitably journaled Within the hollow standard 3 and ci'mnected at its lower end by means of the intermeshing bevel-gears 14 and 15 with the looptaker actuating shaft 16 journalcd within the work-supporting arm J and provided at its forward end with the bevel-gear 17.

Fixed within and at opposite sides of the arm 2 are the rigid parallel studs 18 entering the apertured bosses 19 of a spider-frame 20 having upon the upper end of its central web the cross-member 21 whose upper face affords a flat seat for the forward portion of the throat-plate. The frame 20 has intermediate and slightly below the bosses 19 the apertured central boss 22 concentric with the axis of the actuating shaft 16. Secured adjustably within the boss :22 by means of the set-screws 23 is the tubular pin 24 of one of the loop-taker shaft supporting brackets, and within such tubular pin is secured by means of the set-screws 25 the solid pin 26 of the other of the loop-taker shaft brackets, only one of which latter is represented in detail figures in the drawings, but both of which are of the same construction excepting in the character of the pins by which theiy are sustained upon the bracket 20.

he pin 26 has formed integral therewith at its rearward end a block 27 from which extends upwardly at right angles to said pin the loop-taker bearing stud 28. The block 27 is secured by means of the screw 29 to a boss 30 at the lower extremity of the laterally and upwardly extending bracketarm 31 terminating at its upper end in the bearing block 32. Journaled upon the stud 28- is the rotary sleeve 33 havin at its upper end the disk 34 and intermc iate the ends the bevel-pinion 35 of one-half the diameter of and meshing with the bevel-wheel 17 01 the actuating shaft 16. The sleeve 33 has between the disk 3% and pinion 35 a necked portion entered by the fork 36 at the free end of a pin 36 fitted within a transverse aperture of the bracket-arm 31 and adapted to restrain the sleeve against endwisc dis placement upon the stud 28.

Mounted upon the disk 3t is the loop-seizing member comprising the disk 37 and the upwardly and outwardly projecting segmental fiangc 38 extending through only a small port ion of the circumference and pro vided in one end with the loop-taking boa k 39 having upon its outer face the downwardly inclined rib or projection 1 0. The loop-taker flange is thus interrupted above the disk 37 throughout the greater part of its circumference.

Arranged in substantially axial relation with the loop-seizing member and embraced by the circular path of movement of this beak, is the thread-case which is formed with cylindrical body 41 open at the lower end and closed at the upper end which is formed as a disk 42 with the diametrically arranged channel 43 having the marginal overhanging lips 44 extending laterally toward each other from the thickened portions 15 of the end disk. The lips ll may be said to constitute suspension means by which the thread-case is hung from its support. The side wall of the thread-case has the usual thread-slit 46 extending from the open lower end with its extremity covered by the tension spring 47, and adjacent the loop-delivery end of the channel 43 there is provided a laterally projecting finger -18 having a thread-delivery aperture 4.9 through which the bobbin thread is led to the work from beneath the tension spring. Circumferentially intermediate and disposed below the tension spring and thread-delivery finger is the peripheral loop-detaining spur or shoulder 50 directed oppositely from the thread-slit 46.

The thread-case is sustained within the circular path of movement of the loop-taker beak 89 by means of the hanger 51 which is formed with the tongue entering and loosely embraced by the channel 43 with its edges beneath the overhanging lips 44 and provided with the wedge-shaped loop-engaging extremity 53 extending beyond the periphery of the thread-case, said hanger being provided upon the side opposite the spur 50 and adjacent the base of the tongue 52 with a. laterally and downwardly inclined stopfinger 54 and adjacent the same with the spring-arm 55 terminating in the down wardly inclined lip 56. The finger 5i and lip 56 afi'ord stop-shoulders embracing the cast-off side of the thread-case adjacent the supporting tongue 52 and normally serve to lock the thread-case in position upon said tongue. By bending the arm 55 upwardly, the lip 56 may be withdrawn from operative relation with the thread-case and the removal of the latter over the end of the tongue 52 permitted.

The hanger 51 is shown provided with the suitably aperturcd foot 57 which is secured by means of screws 58 upon the depending flange 59 of the edgowise swinging supporting cover-plate 60 having upon its under face the stud 61 journaled in the bushing 62 of an aperture formed in the block 32 parallel with the loop-taker shaft The bushing ('32 is formed with the rectangular head (33 provided upon its upper facewith the parallel locking ribs 64 one of which is adapted to enter a groove 65 in the lower 1' ace of the plate 60 and the other of which engages the edge of said plate at the opposite side of the stud 61.

The stud 61 is formed with an axial socket 61' in its lower end to receive a spring 66 interposed between the bottom of the same and the boss 22 and serving to normally press the cover-plate upwardly for disengagement with the locking ribs 64. Fitted upon the threaded lower extremity of the stud 61 is the stop-collar 67 which is secured thereon by means of the set-screws 6S and whose upper extremity aflords an annular shoulder 67 for engagement with the nose 60 of an angular latch-lever 70 fulcrunied upon the cross-pin 71 within the slot 72 of the block 32 and provided with the wedge-shaped tail 73. The latch-lever 70 is normally maintained in looking relation with the stop-collar 67 by means of a spring 74 interposed between the bottom of the slot 72 and the inner extremity of a socket 75 formed in the adjacent edge of the latchlever.

The block 32 is formed in one side with a slideway 352 in which is fitted the slide-plate 76 provided with an elongated aperture 77 to receive the shank of the screw 7 8 by which it is confined for endwise movement in the slideway. The slide-plate is provided at one end with the laterally ofl'set cam projection 79 formed upon its outer face with the but ton 80 and having interposed between the bottom of a socket in its opposite face and the end of the block 32 the spring 81 for normally maintaining the cam projection retracted from the tail 73 of the latchlever 70.

The work-supporting armQ is provided at itsextremitywith theendcapQwhich is in practice formed with sockets to receive the extremities of the studs 18 to which it is se cured. This cap is formed with the apertures 82 to receive and expose to the operator the ends of the buttons 80 by pressure upon one of which the respective latch-lever 70 may be tilted for disengagement from the stop-collar 67 whereby the cover-plate 60 is permitted to rise under the action of its spring 66 for disengagement from the looking ribs 63 so as to be turned for lateral retraction of the thread-case and exposure of the loop-seizing member beneath the same. The thread'case may obviously be returned to operative position by swinging the coverplate upon its pivotal stud 61 to bring it into register with the locking ribs 64 and then depressing the same for reengagement of the nose 69 of the latch-lever 70 with the stop-collar 67. i

The throat-plate 83. which is provide with the usual needle-hole 83 and feed-dog apertures. is secured at its forward and upon the cross-member 21 otthe spider-frame 20 and at its rearward end upon the raised portion 2" of the work-supporting arm 2, and its opposite edges are shaped conformably with the adjacent ed es of the laterally and downwardly incliner cover-plates 60 which abut the same. Intermediate the extremity of the body portion of the arm 2 and the end cap 2 is secured the angular housing plate 84 which is in practice cut out in its upper edges to receive the flanges 59 of the coverplates 60.

Mounted within the head 5 of the bracketarm is the vibratory link take-up arm 85 constructed in substantial accordance with the United States patent to Philip Diehl No. {62,398, of November 3, 1891. which is adapted to cooperate with the needle and the loop-taker in drawing up the needle-thread loops as they are carried to the farther side of the thread-case from the needle-l1ole by the loop-seizing member.

The thread-case is shown in Fig. 11 pro vided with a Well-known form of axial bobbin-post 41 with expanded and split outer portion to confine thereon the hub of the bobbin 86.

In the operation of i the machine. the needle descends, and as it begins to rise the thread-loop thus presented is entered by the loop-taker beak and is spread thereby to substantially the full depth of the thread-case, the upper limb of the loop passing over the top of the latter and the lower limb being temporarily detained upon the periphery of the thread-case by the spur 50 until it is de flected. in the continued travel of the looptaker, beneath the lower edge of the threadcase. As the needle-thread loop is carried around the first side of the threadcase toward cast-ofl' position, its upper limb cngages and is detained by the projecting extremity 53 of the tongue 52 adjacent the needle-aperture of the throateplate, and in its further movement the part adjacent the loop-taker beak encounters the edge of the tongue and the outer portion of the loop continues its travel beneath the thread-case hanger until the beak assumes a position. inclined toward the center of the arm 2. when the take-up begins its loop-drawing action.

In this action, the tongue 52 serves as a loop-guiding element which is directed toward the needle-aperture. and in the continued movement of the take-up. the loop of needle-thread a. (Fig. 8) is readily drawn between saidtongue and the overhanging lips 44 resting upon the face of the same. The resistance offered by the thread-case to this loop-drawing action is comparatively slight because the supporting connection bctween the thread-case and its sustaining tongue 52 comprises flat surfaces which (listribute the weight throughout their lengths. and the interposition of the thread-loop does not involve the bodily lifting of the threadcase, but the mere tilting of the same upon its supporting tongue. Another advantage of the present arrangement is in the position of the thread-case supporting tongue which extends toward the needle-hole and therefore in the direction in which the thread loop is drawn up by the take-up. so that there is no cross-strain upon he thread-loop such as there would be under a less favorable relation of the arts.

In machines or stitching tubular articles, such as that shown in the accompanying drawings, compactness is obviously a desideratum. This is attained in a considerable degree according to the present improvement by extending the actuating shaft 16 lengthwise of the tubular work-supporting arm 2 for independent driving connection by suitable gears with the loop-takers mounted for rotation upon the divergently inclined radial studs 28, thereby permitting the upper face of the work-support to be inclined downwardly from the central portion, as represented in Fig. 2, so as to reduce the area of cross-section which would be required with loop-takers rotating upon parallel axes.

As represented more particularly in Figs. 2 and 6, the loop-taker beak has a depth corresponding substantially with that of the thread-case, its downwardly inclined edge serving to force the inner limb of the loop below the bottom of the case, while the inclined rib or projection 40 serves to deflect the outer limb upwardly to the upper edge of the flange 38 and consequently to the upper face of the thread-case. In this loopdistending operation the spur 5O performs no function, its office being merely to insure against the wrapping of the lower limb of the loop around the periphery of the case instead of rolling off the lower edge and beneath the same.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing element of a thread-case member and a hanger member therefor, one of said members being formed with a channel having overhanging lips and the other of said members having a portion entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips, one of said members being normally stationary while the machine is in operation.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing member, of a normally stationary thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a ban er having a member entering and loosely em raced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with a throat plate having a needle-aperture, and a needle reciprocating through said aperture, of a thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a hanger having a member directed substantially toward the needle-aperture of said throat-plate and entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination 1 ,aeaese with a loop-seizing member, of a substantially cylindrical thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a hanger having a member arranged crosswise of the axis of and projecting laterally beyond the body of said threadcase and entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging the overhanging lips thereof.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing member, of a thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a thread-case hanger comprising a tongue entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips and provided with means for engaging the thread-case exterior to said channel for restraining it against displacement upon said tongue.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination I with a loop-seizing member, of a thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a thread-case hanger comprising a tongue entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips and provided with thread-case confining shoulders at one side of said tongue and embracing between them one side of the periphery of the thread-case exterior to said tongue.

7. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing member, of a thread-case provided in. its upper side with a. channel having overhanging lips, and a thread-case hanger comprising a tongue entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips and provided at one side of said tongue with thread-case confining shoulders. one of which is retractable from the thread-case and embracing between them one side of the periphery of the threadcase. 8. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing member, of a threadcase provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a thread case hanger comprising a tongue entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips and provided at one side of said tongue with threadcase confining shoulders, one of which is carried by a spring-arm yielding transversely of said tongue and embracing between them one side of the periphery of the thread-case.

9. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips and upon its periphery at one side of said channel with a loop-detaining shoulder, a hanger having a member entering and loosely em; braced by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips, and a loop-seizing member constructed with a loop-distending beak having a depth substantially equivalent to that of the thread-case.

10. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips and upon its periphery at one side of said channel with a loop-detaining shoulder, a loop-seizing member com rising a segmental portion having a length ess than a semi-circumference and provided with a beak, a hanger havin a member entering and loosely embrace by said channel and engaging said overhanging lips, and a support for said hanger movable transversely of the axis of said loop-taker for retraction of the threadease laterally therefrom.

11. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case, a loop-seizing member provided with a beak and laterally open throughout a space exceeding the width of the'thread-case, a hanger by which the thread-case is suspended within the path of movement of said beak, a support for said hanger pivotally mounted substantially parallel with the axis of movement of said beak, and means for locking said support in operative position.

12. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case, a loop-seizing member provided with a beak and laterally open throughout a space exceeding the width of the thread-case, a hanger by which the thread-case is suspended within the path of movement of said beak, a support for said hanger, a fulcrum concentrically and endwise of which said su port is movable, and means for locking sai support in operative position.

13. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case, a loop-seizing member provided with a beak and laterally open throughout a space exceeding the width of the thread-case, a hanger by which the threadcase is suspended within the ath of movement of said beak, a support or said hanger, a fulcrum concentrically with and endwise of which said support is movable, fixed locking means for normally restraining said support against its concentric movements, and a latch device for maintaining the support against movement endwise of said fulcrum whereby it may be disengaged from said locking means.

14. In a sewing machine, in combination, a thread-case, a loop-seizing member provided with a beak and laterally open throughout a space exceeding the width of the thnead-case, a hanger by which the thread-case is suspended within the path of movement of said beak, a support for said hanger, an endwise movable fulcrum-pin rigidly attached to said support, rigidly sustained locking means for said support, a spring for disengaging the support from its locking means, and a latch device acting in opposition to said spring for maintaining the support in operative relation with its locking means.

15. In a sewing machine, in combination, an actuating shaft, a frame mounted concentrically with said shaft, a loop-taker shaft journaled in said frame in transverse relation with said actuating shaft, a rotary loopseizing member provided with a beak and fixed upon said looptalmr shaft, intcr meshing gears fixed upon said actuating shaft and loop-taker shaft, respectively, a thread-case suspended within the path of movement of said beak, and means for adjusting the position of said frame concen trically with said actuating shaft.

16. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle, a rotary loop-seizing hook movable upon an axis inclined to said needle, a thread-case, and a hanger by which the threadpase is suspended in a. normally stationary position within the field of action of said hook and movable laterally of the axis of rotation of said hook for retraction of the thread-case from normal operative relation therewith.

17. In a sewing machine, in combination, two reciprocating needles, rotary loop-seizing hooks movable upon axes inclinedto each other and to said needles, thread-cases for the respectivehooks, and hangers by which said thread-cases are suspended normally within the fields of action of their respective hooks and independently movable laterally of the axes of their respective hooks for retraction of said thread-cases from operative relation therewith.

1.8. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocating needle, a rotary hook cooperating therewith, a thread-case for said hook, and a hanger by which the thread-case is suspended in a normally stationary position within the field of action of the hook and movable laterally of the axis of rotation of the latter for retraction of the thread-case from normal operative relation with the hook.

19. In a sewing machine, in combination, two needles reciprocating in unison, loopseizing hooks cooperating therewith and mounted for rotation upon axes inclined to the respective needles and to each other and embraced by a. common plane, an actuating shaft, independent operative connections consisting of intermeshing ears between said shaft and said hooks, an threadcases sustained Within the fields of action of said hooks.

20. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a standard and a hollow work-supporting arm extending laterally therefrom, of two reciprocating needles, loop-seizing hooks cooperating therewith and. mounted for rotation upon axes inciinedto the respective needles and to each other, an actuating shaft extending longitudinally of the work-supporting arm, independent operative connectlons between the actuating shaft and said hooks, and thread-eases sustained independently of each other and within the range of action of the respective hooks.

2 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a standard and a, hollow work-supporting arm extending laterally therefrom, of two reciprocating needles, loop-seizing hooks cooperating therewith a d mounted for rotation upon axes incline ,to the respective needles and to each other and embraced by a plane transverse tothe work-supporting arm, an actuating shaft extending longitudinally of the work-supporting arm, independent operative connections between the actuating shaft and said hooks, and thread-cases sustained lndependentl of each other and within the range of action of the respective hooks,

2 2. In a sewing machine, the combination with the frame comprising a standard and a hollow work-supporting arm extending laterally therefrom and formed with a wall having a laterally removable section, of a reciprocating needle, a loop-seizing hook cooperatin therewith, a thread-case, and a ha er y which the thread-case is suspen ed normally within the field of action ofsaid hook and mounted upon said removable section of the work-supporting arm whereby the thread-case is retracted from operative relation with the hook in the removal ofsaid section.

23. Ina sewing machine, the combination with a 100 -seizmg member, of a threadcase provid d with suspension means below which the thread-case depends, and normally stationary supporting means loosely eng ing said suspension means, and thus afiofiing clearance space for passage of the ee'g l o ps- 4. n a sewing machine, the combinat'on with, a loop seizing member, of a cylinrical thread-case provided at its upper endface with an undercut recess, and normally stationary supporting means loosely enter,- ing' said recess and suspending said threadca'se within the field of action of said memher, while permitting passage of the needle thread loops about said thread-case.

25. I11 a sewing machine, a rotary loopseizing member, a cylindrical thread-case, and means independent of said member for suspending said thread-case Within the field of action thereof, and in substantially coaxial relation therewith.

26 In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizing member, of a threadcase provided in its upper side with a channel having overhanging lips, and a hanger having a member entering and loosely embraced by said channel and en aging said overhal'iging lips, there being su lcient space between said hanger and the walls of said channel to permit passage of the needle loops therethrough.

27. In a sewing machine, the Combination with a reciprocating needle, a loop-seizing element and a take-up, of a thread-case member and a hanger member therefor, one of said members being formed with a channel having overhanging lips and the other of said members having a portion entering and loosely embraced by said channel and en aging said overhanging lips, there being su cient space provided between said members to permit passage of the needle-loops therebetween as they are drawn up by the take-up.

28. In a sewing machine, the combination with a loop-seizmg member, of a threadcase provided in its upper side with a chan nel having overhanging lips, and a hanger having the form of a fiat tongue and entering and loosely embraced by said channel and engaging said overhan ing lips.

In testimony whereof, I l iave signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT H. DnVOE.

Witnesses:

ENRY A. KORNEMANN, Jr., HENRY J. MILLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

